Oct 16 (CT) JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said that what the masses select at national elections were not Govts, but groups of thieves and robbers who carry out both small and large scale thefts and robberies. He said, “All State sector workers are given the opportunity to purchase a vehicle through a permit after five years. Now that permit has been suspended and having done so the Govt claimed that they had suspended the same permit more..

Oct 16 (CT) Sri Lanka’s total outstanding debt as of end-June this year stood at US$ 53.5 billion, up 9.5% compared to US$ 48.9 billion reported during the same period of last year, which as a percentage of the GDP, represents 59%. According to Central Bank data, the country’s long term debt represented 86% of the total outstanding, while short term debt was 14% of the total. The Govt owed US$ 36.2 billion as of end June this year, up 9.6% compared to US$ 29.8 billion it owed a year ago, more..

Oct 16 (DM) Minister Navin Dissanayake said, the UNP suffered because of rifts between the late leaders such as former President R. Premadasa and Gamini Dissanayake, and hoped a similar feud would not arise between him and his colleague Minister Sajith Premadasa. Minister said there was a hard time ahead for the party. “If we act properly, we can succeed. Our political opposition is also riddled with problems. They are yet to decide who is to be fielded next time as their candidate. more..

Oct 16 (Island) The Central Bank wishes to inform the public that several measures have been initiated and some have already been implemented, to strengthen transparency and accountability in several areas of operations of the Central Bank in line with the recommendations of the COI. In relation to the legal framework within which the CB operates, measures are under way to strengthen several laws applicable to CB. more..

Oct 16 (DM) The Supreme Court has ruled that certain Articles of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution Bill presented in the Parliament in May by JVP as a private member’s Bill were inconsistent with the Constitution. It has also ruled that if the Bill was to be passed without changing the said Articles it should be passed with two thirds majority in the Parliament and approved by the people at a referendum. It is amazing to note that many political parties that had been agitating more..

Oct 16 (DM) America’s Vice-President Mike Pence has warned that Hambantota may soon become a forward military base for the PLA Navy. In a speech at Hudson institute, Pence launched a broadside against China’s predatory trade, debt diplomacy, coercion and military aggression; he referenced to the Chinese-funded Hambantota port, of which the majority stake is owned by China’s state owned port operator, China Merchants. Though these concerns are usual American refrain, more..

Oct 16 (DM) Former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa spoke about the proposed move to form a new Govt and the next presidential candidate. Q: There are talks about an interim Govt to be formed if President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa come to an understanding. What do you think about it? A: Personally, I think there is a crisis situation in the country. Every segment of society- more..

Oct 16 (CT) The UN Population Fund (UNFPA SL) said that access to comprehensive, medically accurate sex education is a child’s right and that the UNFPA is working with the Ministry of Education to introduce proper, accurate material in this regard to the curricula and engage teachers actively and educate parents regarding the importance of sexual education. The UNFPA Sri Lanka pointed this out at a media workshop more..

Oct 16 (ST) British MPs of a pro-Tamil lobby and Tamil activists are trying to drag the Sri Lanka Govt and its High Commission in London into the arrests last Monday of four Tamils demonstrating against PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s presence at the Oxford Union. Tamil groups claim they were detained and released the next day following complaints by SL officials. The British MPs, in a letter to Home Secretary Sajid Javid and more..

Oct 16 (Island) TNA and Opposition leader R Sampanthan has requested the Tamil prisoners detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act to abandon their hunger strike, demanding their release, as President Maithripala Sirisena had agreed to give them a solution. Sampanthan said that Prez had spoken to him and promised that he would give a solution to the problem of Tamil prisoners on Oct. 17. more..

Oct 16 (FT) SL’s Govt should fight against policy backsliding and remain focused on export and investment driven growth strategies as the already beleaguered economy heads towards deepening political and economic challenges next year, hampered by high debt, growing external risks and limited reform implementation, a top think tank said yesterday. Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Executive Director Dr. Dushni Weerakoon more..

Oct 16 (AD) A private sector think-tank says that only 8% of the govt’s budget promises are progressing in line with their targets and that the pace of progress is slow, at the end of the first six months of 2018. “Further, progress on 33% of proposals are categorised as either broken, neglected or undisclosed.” “This means that the govt is either not doing what it is saying or not saying what it is doing for promises amounting to more..

Oct 16 (DN) Govt had been deprived an income amounting to approximately Rs.197 billion due to taxes in default as at the end of last year, Inland Revenue Department (IRD) performance report for the year 2017 indicated. Tax evasion remains one of the main reasons for the default of taxes. The report was tabled in Parliament last week. The Gross Income Tax in default stood at Rs.117.6 billion as at Dec 31, 2017 as per the report. more..

Oct 16 (DM) The Police have taken steps to strengthen the security in Jaffna town as a means of putting an end to the attacks and robberies allegedly committed by the AWA group. They have set up road blocks and check points where random checks would be carried out on vehicles and their occupants. Some 40 people were arrested during raids conducted by 500 police personnel in Jaffna, Manipay, Chunnakam and Kopai. more..

Oct 16 (LBO) Sri Lanka’s economic growth is projected to recover from the effects of last year’s weather disruptions, which negatively affected agriculture, and to remain around 4% in the next two years, says the World Bank in its twice-a-year regional economic update. The latest edition of the South Asia Economic Focus, Budget Crunch, finds that the region’s growth performance is uneven across countries—with Afghanistan notably more..

Oct 16 (CI) Former SL captain and selector Sanath Jayasuriya has said he has "always conducted [himself] with integrity and transparency with matters concerning the sport," in the wake of being charged on two counts under the ICC's anti-corruption code. Jayasuriya, 49, also pointed out that the charges laid upon him "do not contain any allegations pertaining to match fixing, pitch fixing or any other similar corrupt activity," more..

Oct 16 (PHC) High Commissioner of Pakistan Dr. Shahid Hashmat unveiled the new interface of the official website of the High Commission on Oct 16, 2018. On the occasion, HC said that the new website will become a one-stop gateway for visitors to Pakistan with essential information highlighting the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan. The portal offers photos and videos on various tourism destinations in Pakistan and necessary information for SL nationals who wish to visit Pakistan. more..

Oct 16 (CT) The weak rupee, would not affect the lives of the average people who do not depend on imported goods for their daily needs, People who eat rice, some vegetables and fish from their village won’t be affected by this– Minister Mangala Samaraweera. While what Samaraweera said may carry some truths, there still may be steps that the Govt can take to at least bring down the prices of vegetables by minimizing post-harvest losses, thereby winning both the lost urban and more..

Oct 16 (CT) Dr Athula Kahandaliyanage, Chairman of Sri J'pura General Hospital today attempted to illegally remove the three specialists serving the hospital Board quoting Minister Rajitha Senaratne, CT reliably learns. In an unprecedented move, Kahandaliyanage convened a specialists’ meeting stating that Rajitha Senaratne has ordered the removal of the three specialists representing the interest of the hospital, namely, Dr Kanishka Indraratne, Dr Madhava Karunaratne and more..

Oct 16 (FT) We saw Justice Priyasad Dep come and now we see him going into retirement. The fact that a judge cannot get an extension is also sacrosanct; because if that was permitted it could lead to abuse, with judges giving decisions with a view to seeking extension. Justice Dep gave inspired leadership to the paramount doctrine of independence of the Judiciary. Judiciary is the pinnacle of good governance that is known as Yahapalanaya. Justice Dep leaves his position with the patriotic and more..

Oct 16 (DM) Responding to speculation that IGP Pujith Jayasundara was to resign, Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara said he had not officially informed the Ministry or the President about any such move. There is a mounting pressure from different groups that the IGP should either step down or be sacked over his recent conduct. He said that the IGP must have been disgusted by the remarks made by certain responsible people against him. more..

Oct 16 (AD) Popular singer Prof. Amara Ranathunga has passed away last night at the age of 79. She had been receiving treatment at a private hospital for the past several days. The funeral will take place on Thursday (18), according to family members. Amara Ranathunga is the wife of veteran singer and musician Dr. Dayarathna Ranathunga and is also considered the the first Professor of Music in the Sri Lankan music field. She entered Bhathkande Musc Institute in India in 1961, more..

Oct 16 (DM) DIG Kaushal Nalaka de Silva who was in charge of the Terrorism Investigations Department (TID) has been summoned to the CID today obtain a statement regarding an alleged assassination plot on Prez Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, CID sources said. He has been informed to appear before CID Homicide Investigation Unit OIC Chief Inspector Ranjith Munasinghe at 9.00 am today. The statements has to be taken regarding the bringing of two more..

Oct 16 (EN) Several drugs used to treat, blood pressure, cancer, osteoporosis, cancer and antibiotics have gone off the market as price controls originally proposed by a Marxist began to bite amid a steep fall in the currency. SL Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry said despite repeated appeals the price control agency, National Medicinal Regulatory Authority has not allowed increases prices, which were cut despite a falling rupee. more..

Oct 16 (PMD) Marking of the World Mental Health Day 2018, the butterfly symbol badge was pinned on President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat, today. The World Mental Health Day celebration was held under the theme young people and mental health in a changing world and in parallel to this event, activists of the Action Network for Mental Health has organized many events across the country. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 Oct every year, more..

Oct 16 (AD) A Chinese worker involved in construction of Southern Expressway has been found dead in his workers’ hostel. The deceased Chinese national has been a worker at a construction site of the Southern Expressway near Bedigama-Weeraketiya. The 43-year old worker had gone to sleep, last night, in his quarters at the workers’ hostel belonging to the construction site. However, when his colleagues had checked on him when he didn’t report to work today, more..

Oct 16 (DM) Sugar Importers' Association said that they would have to stop importing sugar temporarily, due to world market and Indian market sugar price hike. Sugar Importers’ Association member Priyantha Senavirathne said after imposing an extra control price on sugar imports, an extra loss had to be incurred when importing. “The price of a sugar metric ton in the Indian market was at US$ 340 by yesterday. more..

Oct 16 (DM) People in Jaffna have complained that name boards on roads and several state departments in the district had been wrongly translated into Sinhala and urged the authorities to rectify them immediately. They said the name boards had been changed based on a decision taken by NPC. Northern CM C.V. Wigneswaran is reported to have instructed the authorities to change the names of villages and other places giving priority to Tamil with Sinhala & English given lesser more..

Oct 16 (DM) A special unit of the STF will be deployed outside Sri Lanka's four main prisons from October 20, in a move to prevent drugs and other devices from reaching prison inmates, the Ministry of Justice and Prisons Reforms said yesterday. Its Senior Assistant Secretary Bandula Jayasinghe said some 300 STF personnel would be deployed for such duties at the Colombo Remand Prison, Magazine Prison, Welikada Prison and the Angunukolapelessa prison. more..

Oct 16 (PSL) President Sirisena says he will dedicate himself to deliver the values of the Theravada Buddhism to the world while protecting this noble philosophy, joining hands with all the countries in the region. He made these remarks addressing a ceremony held at the Sri Chandananda Buddhist Vidyalaya, Asgiriya, today to felicitate the Venerable Dr. Godagama Mangala Nayaka Thera for being honoured with more..

Oct 16 (Island) Court of Appeal, yesterday, fixed for argument on March 1, 2019, the appeal application filed by former Chairman of the Tangalle PS Sampath Vidanapathirana, who was convicted by the High Court of homicide and rape and imposed a sentence of twenty years rigorous imprisonment. Vidanapathirana was found guilty of the killing of British national Khuram Shaik Zaman and the molestation of his Russian girlfriend Victoria Alexandrovna at Nature’s Hotel, Tangalle more..

Oct 16 (Island) Children’s and Women’s Bureau of Kalutara Police Division are probing a complaint that a principal has molested two 14-year-old male students of his school. The victims have been admitted to the Nagoda hospital for medical examinations. The police had commenced investigations following a complaint lodged there by the parents of the two students, OIC of the Bureau IP Malka Thushari said. The principal summoned the two students to his office during lunch hour more..

Oct 16 (EN) Prez Sirisena has called for more trade controls and import substitution as the rupee fell amid policy errors in operating a soft-peg with the US dollar. Prez has asked a National Economic Commission to prepare a list of non-essential goods that can be stopped and had it over the Finance Ministry in a week. The goods will be temporarily controlled and attention will be focused on producing import substitution products more..

Oct 16 (CT) Doctors yesterday urged President Maithripala Sirisena to take necessary action against Minister of Health, Rajitha Senaratne to safeguard the Sri Lankan health service from being allegedly destroyed by him. The President and Secretary of the GMOA Doctors Anuruddha Padeniya and Haritha Aluthge in a letter to the President alleged that Dr. Senaratne was being influenced by local or international non-governmental organizations to destroy the health service. more..

Oct 16 (DM) The JO said today the SL rupee would hit 200 against the US Dollar by the end of this year if the Singapore FTA, which had enabled thousands of items to be imported without taxes, was still operative. JO MP Bandula Gunawardana said that a gazette recently issued in relation to the Singapore FTA had allowed the import of close to 4,000 items without Customs duty. “President appointed an experts committee to look into the Singapore FTA but the committee is still to release its report. more..

Oct 16 (AD) Students of the Faculty of Technology of the Southeastern University of Sri Lanka (SEUSL) have completely taken over the administration building of the university and are currently engaged in a protest action. Recently, the studentship of four undergraduates was suspended while 21 students were imposed a suspension of classes. Accordingly, the parents of these students met with the vice chancellor on Oct 13, more..

Oct 16 (DM) The convener of the Movement for a Just Society, Prof Sarath Wijesuriya said he would urge the govt to remove the Rs.5,000 notes from circulation as a remedy to the present Economic Crisis faced by Sri Lanka. He said this at a Media Briefing held at the head office of the Movement for a Just Society in Rajagiriya and instead of cutting down on imports, it was better to stop functions being held to boost the image of politicians by spending colossal sums of money. more..

Oct 16 (EN) An ageing population could soon make Sri Lanka’s generous social programs unaffordable, a new World Bank report said. Sri Lanka is the only ageing society in South Asia, the World Bank said in its South Asia ‘Economic Focus’ report. “With older populations come higher health care costs and larger spending on public pensions,” it said. “Population ageing could make the country’s generous social programs unaffordable in a not-so-distant future.” more..

Oct 16 (EN) President Maithripala Sirisena shocked his cabinet Tuesday by accusing neighbouring India of plotting to assassinate him on the eve of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to New Delhi, a ministerial source said. A visibly upset Sirisena accused his senior coalition partner, UNP, of not taking an alleged conspiracy to kill him as well as former secretary to the ministry of defence, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, seriously. more..